meeting people
by Ladies of Fire and Ice
Summary: Two room mates get some guests they didn't think posible. Then a voice acter shows up. then Mata Nui desides that the two sould come back with the Toa. Story in progress and a better summary latter.
1. Who are they?

Omie: Yo! It's the Icy half of the two ladies! Also known as Omicron the IceQueen, Sinead is the lady of fire, we're the Ladies of Fire and Ice. We post all our joint fics under this name, like this one.

Disclaimer: we do not own Bionicle, Scott McNeil or Outty. We one ourselves (obviously) and whatever random characters we make up. We are not going to say this again thank you.

Added note: There'll be more chapters after this, we're writing it now.

>lady icesigning off>

**Meeting People**

By The Ladies of Fire and Ice

Laughing, Sinead ran into the room, waving a piece of paper. "Lookit! Lookit!"

Omicron looked up and was promptly killed on the game she was playing, "What is--ACK! THAT COVY SLAGGER! Did you see what he did to me!" the young woman said pointing at the TV where a Hunter from the HALO2 game was walking over her now dead body.

Sinead laughed, leaning over Omie's shoulder. "Aww, if it wasn't the Hunter, it would've been those two Elites over there, those Honor Guards? You know how it happens. But look! Outty just emailed me, telling me that a certain someone was taking a vacation in this area!"

"Honor Guards my aft I have a saber! Oh Outty?" Omicron paused her game as she re-spawned and turned to look up from her beanbag, "Who's comin'? Outty? No wait!" she grind "JAZZ!"

"Hah! Outty's working, and Jazz is . . ." Sinead snickered. "Jazz is 'filming.' Guess again!"

"Sunny!"

Sinead shook her head. "In reality."

"Sapph?" The strawberry blond asked hopefully

"Unfortunately, no," Sinead replied, her tone a bit disappointed. "But almost as good."

"...STARATH!"

"Scott McNeil."

"...SWEET HOLY PRIMUS!" Omicron yelped as she fell off her beanbag, witch was a feet indeed since it's very hard to fall off those.

Sinead laughed again and waved the paper closer. "See for yourself!"

Omicron snagged the paper and read it over then reread it, "He wants to met us?" she squeaked

"Yep, and over dinner. Cookout no less. Here."

Omicron choked, "Here! AHH! I haven't cleaned the deck yet! KYAA!" that last part was said as the young queen bolted out of the room to do the chore she forgot to do that morning. The now free paper that the email was printed on drifted down to the flour.

Sinead shook her head, calling after Omie, "Hey! You've got another two days! Don't kill yourself about the deck just yet!" Blinking, she grinned, and picked up where Omie had left off in Halo 2, slaughtering the Hunter, then the Honor Guards, and acquired a sniper rifle, taking out the Jackals easily. "Slag, she's got this on Normal. Bo-ring ..."

Omicron's head poked in "No, I just got a scull, so THERE! Hey where's the sniper come from?" she blinked.

"Up there. Pitfall for you, if you were gonna jump out without looking." Sinead paused it. "So you're easing up on what has to be done?"

"Feh." Omicron sniffed and looked remarkably like G1 Starscream for a moment then she grind and the resemblance was gone as she declared, "I'm making dinner!"

Saving the game, Sinead shook her head. "All right, you go do that. I'm gonna set a bonfire out back."

Sinead walked out into the backyard, picking up armfuls of split wood from where they had dried from the previous year, walking over to place them within the stone circle. She repeated that trip a few times to build up the shape of the fire, then pulled matches from her back pocket and lit some tinder, carefully bringing forth a small flame.

"So," Omicron said poking her head out of a window, "You going to try my Spaghetti Pie today?"

"The last time I tried something new of yours, I nearly yarfed it back up," Sinead replied in a deadpan tone, still bringing the flaming tinder to the point where she could soon transfer it into the larger structure. Shivering, she looked up, straight into the wooded area surrounding their edge-of-the-conservation-land house.

"That was because the meat didn't get cooked all the way...err...you didn't here that! Anyways," Omicron said quickly, "I'm not new to making Spaghetti Pie! The kitchen is my domain now!" She said and ducked back in before Sinead could say anything.

Sinead didn't even hear what Omicron had been talking about though. She had heard something ... big out there, and the largest thing that resided in the conservation land behind their house was the occasional black bear. A long stick of wood caught fire, and Sinead picked it up without hesitating, standing. "Who's there?"

She didn't get an answer and it was quite. Far to quite really, none of the night critters, manly the bugs, weren't sounding off like they normally did. Sinead took a step further then used it to turn, dropping the lit hunk of wood back into the stone circle. Within twelve steps, she was at the back door, keys in hand, reaching towards the lock upon her sword-display. A minute passed and she walked back out to the yard, grabbing more wood as she did so, letting it fall beside the fire. She stared over the small flames, watching for movement. And saw something twitch a short branch against the breeze.

"HEY!" Omicron yelled from inside, "Who the --MERPH!"

Sinead half-turned towards the noise, and saw the movement almost too late, drawing the katana only partially, but enough to block the blow indented to knock her out. She skidded a few feet to the side, legs braced. Her stormy-blue eyes looked up into crimson ruby ones, and she swallowed, feeling her sword-hand tremble. She turned towards the kitchen window, yelling, "Omie!"

There was movement inside and a yelp not from the other author and a quick flash of light on one of larger cooking knifes. The glowing crimson eye flicked to the window to as two shadows moved around in what could have been called a dance. Then Sinead head her roommate yell something, Omicron's voice coming from deep in her chest and her throat tightening so it sounded inhuman, she only did that when she was mad...

And she was, being snuck up on when one was chopping garlic and bell peppers wasn't the best thing to go through after all. Omicron may not be as learned in swordsmanship as Sinead, but she did know how to use the large kitchen knife she had and, better yet, her trusty Frying Pan of Doom! Though that was on the other side of the room down below in the cupboard…best to stick with the knife. And she didn't have a staff to use ether, not that it would do well in the semi-small kitchen anyways. As it was even with the knife and what training Omicron did have wasn't really enough when you're grabbed from behind and picked clear off your feet.

_Metal…?_ Omicron thought in confusion and disbelief as she got a good look at one of the green arms that was holding her, as well as the equally green hands that was attached to said arms. Approximately 23.2 things flicked through the woman's mind in just a few moments in rapid section; what was going on? Why was she being attacked? No not attacked, restrained. Sinead was fighting someone! Or is something? Ouch, that hurt. Oh frag the Predacons are real and taking her and Sinead to the Darkside in the past to be ransomed to the Maximals! She didn't want to go to the Beast Wars like this! She didn't even get to eat first! How rude. Would she meet Depth Charge? No wait…this wasn't a Predacon. Doesn't this guy know that hurts her arm! Great Omicron and her roommate where going to be abducted by another kind of alien to be sold off as slaves or pets. Why couldn't the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' abduct them? That would be fun. Why was she thinking about them at a time like this! She was be kidnapped! …. No still restrained… ARG! She wanted free so she could help Sinead! And why does something weird _always_ happen whenever she makes Spaghetti Pie! Hey wait; she still had the kitchen knife! A-HAH!

Omicron flattened the blade partly against her arm and slashed back snarling something that made her sound more like an Ork then a young woman. But the desired affect was achieved. As the figure that held her yelped and moved out of the way, the young queen twisted and popped her person free. Thanking any and all the gods that were paying the slightest attention to this part of the universe that she was double jointed as she did so. Omicron dropped a grand total of three feet before launching her self to the other side of the kitchen, fully intending to get her trusty Frying Pan of Doom and knock this bloody intruder out and then repeat the process outside with the other bloody intruder that was still fighting Sinead. That pan never failed her before after all!

There was a blur of green and gray and she was face-to-face with her attacker slash restrainer. Okay so it was more like face-to-lower-chest. The pause that fallowed was where both kitchen combatants got a very good look at one another.

_Oh my god..._ Omicron thought, slack jawed, as she stared at the green biomechanical being's equally green masked face.

Seeing the shadow play in the kitchen, assessing that Omie would be fine on her own for another few seconds, Sinead looked back at the . . . the creature before her. She didn't lower her guard. "What was that for?"

Sinead's appoint was illumined by the firelight partly mostly be it's…no _his_ own swards. Swards that were _glowing_ red. He was tall, _very_ tall, three heads taller in fact. He had armor that was mostly red with some orange and the dark gray parts underneath said armor wasn't to be seen how ever in the shadows. But his eyes seemed to glow just as mush as his swords did…and…had Sinead seen that masked face before?

She dropped her katana in sheer shock and disbelief as things clicked into place. "Oh, sweet Primus. You're Tahu."

The Toa paused, then frowned at her as his eyes narrowed, "How do know my name?" he demanded.

"Holy Primus!" Omicron yelped from inside at the same time, "I know you! You're a Toa!"

Lewa tipped his head to one side quizzically, not unlike a bird. "Whatspeak you?"

"You're a Toa!" she repeated then blinked and added, "But _how_ in Primus' name did you get in _my_ kitchen?"

Blinking, Lewa looked at her. "Noknowing. Toabrother Tahu herecame with as well."

"Tahu's here? Where...oh slag." the young queen's eyes widened and she was poking her head out the kitchen window once again less then a half a minute later, "Sinead! You're not going to believe--oh he's there..."

Sinead looked up at Omie. "No. Kidding. I'm inviting him in, but he's kinda not keen upon the idea of entering our house, here." She stopped. "Hey, did you put on the woodstove in the den? Or . . . was the mini-bonfire supposed to be all?"

Omicron blinked, "The Stoves on. And umm...Lewa's kinda in here."

"Lewa?" Tahu asked turning fully to look at the other woman, "Lewa!" he called.

"Whoa, what? He's here, too?" Sinead asked on the same breath.

"Tahubrother!" Lewa called, looking over Omicron's shoulder. "Pasttime to inwalk within the cottage! Goodsmells!"

"Woah. Did you understand that?" Sinead blinked and something occurred to her then. "Oh, shoot, Scott's coming tomorrow!"

"...well this is going to be interesting." Omicron said slowly then sniffed, "What's burning? Oh SLAG! The crust!" she vanished as Tahu walked to the house eyeing it like he thought it was going to jump him.

Sinead walked around him, touching his arm _very_ lightly. "Here, it's just up these stairs."

Lewa looked over Omie's shoulder again. "What thisbe?"

"Spaghetti Pie!" she grind, then looked down, "Or rather the crust for the pie." she nodded to the simmering spaghetti and meat sauce and few veggies, "You mix that stuff and bake it in the crust. It's really good."

Sinead entered the kitchen, Tahu beside her, and she accused, "You burnt it again!" She laughed. "And no touching the dessert! That's my bit!"

"It's not burnt, just dark." Omicron muttered, "And we still have the bubbly pies from the other day. That and ice cream."

Sinead winced. "I'm making something warm instead of the ice cream. And if you chew on ice again, I'm gonna smack you." She shuddered.

"Eep." Omicron edged away, knowing that Sinead WOULD live up to that threat.

Tahu looked from one human to the next then back before shifting his gaze to Lewa with a 'What do you think?' look. Lewa looked back calmly, motioning with his hand slightly that he was comfortable. They weren't bad girls. He sniffed again, appreciating the smells of the kitchen. Tahu nodded, then razed an eye ridge as Omicron yelp when Sinead bumped into her making the younger woman almost drop the piecrust.

"Okay to many in the kitchen! Out! OUT! Before dinner really IS burnt!" Omicron pushed Sinead to the door, slipping the still warm piecrust onto the countertop she colleted the cooking knife from the floor and deposited it into the sink. Then she snatched another, cleaner, knife and attacked the vegetables so she could put them in the steamer.

Sinead laughed. "All right, when she starts to cook, I know that she'll start hurling kitchen knives at us." She looked up at Tahu. "Fire's your element. Would you prefer sitting downstairs with the woodstove or outside with the campfire?"

"...Out side. It's to small in here." Tahu said taking in the room.

"When you're over eight feet tall, then yeah, you're certainly right. Omie?" Sinead called back over her shoulder. "Want a picnic dinner?"

"I'll adapt it." she nodded at the food, "Though I'm going to have to make trips."

"Freehelpin' be something I can do," Lewa said kindly. "Pass what you need out-through window, and airfly will I down to the firespitters."

"...I think it would go 'splat' if you airfly it..." Omicron said pausing mid chop.

"Splat? Whatword is this?"

Sinead shook her head. "You two can talk. I'm bringing Toa Tahu back outside so that I can rebuild that fire. I think I knocked something over in it, and I want it to burn for a while."

"Yeah sure Sinead, and splat is...umm...like this!" Omicron tossed the parts of the vegetables that where not going to be used into the sink with an audible 'sploosh!' She snickered, "Messy, but fun some times."

"Ah. As fruit freefalls onto hardrock." He blinked. "Still. Freehelpin's payment for unwanted scaring."

Sinead laughed kindly, looking up at Tahu. "Back down this way."

"...What?" Omicron was left blinking at Lewa as Tahu, ducking somewhat to make it through the door as he left with Sinead.

Lewa shifted slightly, rubbing at the side of his mask. "This Toa scared you muchbad. I deepwish to make it goodright with you."

"Oh. You can uhhh…stir the spaghetti then?" the young queen offered pointing at the pot with a carrot.

Looking up at Tahu was like looking up at a freestanding basketball hoop that you'd wheel around your driveway, Sinead shook her head and the young woman asked, "Will Lewa be all right with Omie?"

"Yes, the worse he'll do is confuse her." Tahu looked down at her, "Unless she attacks him that is."

"Attack him?" Sinead asked doubtfully. "Omie is defensive. She comes up against something threatening, she'll react in kind, but not against someone," the author chuckled, "who's intent upon making peace with her."

Tahu nodded. "Good."

"So . . . do you know what you're doing here?" Sinead asked as they walked out to the backyard again. She picked up a few more pieces of firewood, walking back towards the fire. "Is there anything that you are here for?"

"Mata Nui must have sent us here." Tahu said watching Sinead, "Why is not yet clear. Here, move back." he added taking out one sword and stepped up to the fire that wasn't growing.

"What are you doing?" Sinead asked watching him now. The Toa of fire didn't answer her; instead he willed his sword to activate, flames formed and jumped from it to the wood, which caught. He put his sword away and looked back at the human as if to say 'that.' She leaned closer, watching the fire catch, hungrily consuming the wood. Smiling, she looked up at Tahu.

"That's really . . . wow. Amazing." She sighed, sitting upon a log, looking up at him. "Do you--"

Her cell phone rang noisily, and she silenced it, pulling it out. "Sorry." Looking at the Caller ID, she frowned then picked it up. "Outty, what are . . . No. Nuh-uh." She sighed. "You're so dead. Fine. Fine. No, it's fine! Okay. Bye." Snapping the phone shut, Sinead called up back towards the house, "Omie!"

"WHAT!" the younger woman yelled back through the open window, but didn't come to it seeing as she couldn't leaved something or another.

"There's a bit of a plan glitch!" Sinead roared back. She held the katana out towards Tahu, speaking quieter. "Would you mind holding this for me?" He took it razing an eye ridge as he did so.

"What kind of glitch?" Omicron's voice drifted to them, "Good, weird, bad, or that 'Holy slag we're going to DIE!' kind of bad?"

"Kinda all four at once," Sinead replied, smiling and nodding her thanks to Tahu. "I'd suggest looking out the front window." She began walking around the side of the house towards the driveway.

"Uh oh." Omicron flicked off the stovetops and ducked under Lewa's arm and bolted to the front of the house and peeked out a window from under a curtain.

Sinead walked towards the car, grinning. "You, mister, are in trouble for saying that you were going to get here tomorrow, when in fact you were coming here tonight. Now get over here and give me a hug before I tackle you, Outty!"

"It's the FLIRT!" came a shriek from inside, fallowed by running footsteps and the front door banging open. All at once Outtsider and Sinead, who was in the way, got glomped and nearly knocked clear over.

Lewa peeked around the curtain at the spectacle, watching in confusion.

Sinead laughed, planting a kiss on his cheek before squirming out of the mess and grinning at the second occupant of the car, letting him see her before she glomped him. Omicron got a big hug and a kiss from the Outtsyder as they started to talk.

Grinning, Sinead looked up at the second occupant, who grinned back, and snarled in true Dinobot fashion, "I am insulted by the lack of attention."

Off to the side, hidden in the dark trees and out of sight Tahu watched, he shook his head 'no' when Lewa looked at him. They didn't know these new humans. Lewa nodded back ever so slightly, and continued watching as Omicron just _stared_ at the man with the white hat.

"Holy sweet Primus its SCOTT!" Omicron yelped at last, wanting to both glomp him and tell him how she loved his work, but at the same time not wanting to make a fool of her self.

Sinead got out of the way, glancing up at the kitchen, then over to where Lewa had been glancing towards, and finally looked over at Omie. "Hey, I have to get back to making sure that the fire doesn't start raging out back." She left the group, saying over her shoulder, "Flirtatious, stay for dinner!"

Her eyes caught Tahu's, and she twitched her eyebrows back towards the campfire area. Tahu took a step back into the shadows and was gone. At the same time Omicron made an "erk" sound before showing the two older men inside. Remembering Lewa she ran ahead, only to fine that he wasn't at the window, or in any of the rooms heading to the kitchen. He wasn't even in there! It was as Scott and Outtsyder where going into said kitchen that she saw that the light to her room was on and the door open a slit.

Sinead poked at the fire for a moment, making sure that it wasn't going to die or go out-of-control anytime soon, then looked to her left, seeing Tahu's eyes watching steadily. Glancing up at the kitchen, seeing Omicron already pulling the two guys into helping with the food. She moved over to where Tahu was with her sword, and spoke in a whisper. "You all right?

"Yes, who are they?" he nodded at the window.

"That's Scott McNeil, a voice actor, and Outtsyder. He's another author like Omie and myself." Sinead looked away from the window at Tahu again. "You look a little nervous."

"Lewa's inside." he pointed to a lit window that was lit at the corner of the house where the green Toa's outline was seen moving around.

Sinead looked back at the room, then nodded. "I can get him out, no problem." Looking at the Toa again, she smiled. "But I'll need my sword back to have an excuse. He's in Omi's room."

Tahu frowned, "Why an excuse? You two," he tilted his head at the kitchen window to include Omicron, "are not afraid and know that we are Toa, would they not?"

Sinead watched his face for a long moment. "Do you want to know how we know you two are Toa?"

"..." Tahu paused then shook his head 'no.' "Some other time maybe."

Sinead smiled kindly. "Sounds good to me. But I still need to put the katana back into my room." She chuckled. "I've got quite a collection of bladed weaponry, so if you wanted me to bring anything down for you to look at, then name about anything, I should have it."

"I would rather find out why the Great Spirit sent us here." The red Toa said waving at the yard and house. "If the other Toa are here. And how to get back to Mata Nui."

Sinead nodded. She wouldn't mind if they stayed, but this wasn't their world. "We'll figure it out, I promise." Tahu nodded his thanks.

Smiling, she rested her hand upon his arm briefly. "I'll be back very soon." She walked inside, katana over her shoulder. As soon as she was in the kitchen, she blinked. "Omie? What are you having them do?"

Outtsyder blinked at her before grinning widely, holding a plate in each hand. "Food?"

"Not yet. Omie, I left the wakizashi in your room." She looked at her friend. "Can I get it?"

"Um yeah...I thought it was a dragon dagger I was drawing the other day...OH!" she said getting it, and put a plate down and handing Sinead a smaller one with veggies on it, "And can you give this to Emy? Her door's open so can you check on her?" Omicron ask hoping that the Toa hadn't hurt her 'baby.' Emy wasn't really a baby iguana any more at four feet long and nearly six years.

Sinead laughed. "That 'baby' is almost as long as I'm tall!" She took the plate, and squeezed into the room and almost-closing the door behind her, cooing to the iguana, holding a finger up towards Lewa.

Once the iguana had her food, Sinead pointed to the window, which was exceptionally large. She opened it silently, pointing through it with a smile. Lewa smiled back at her, and when he was beside her, she whispered, "He's to the left of the fire." And he was, just beyond the light of the fire. Tahu razed his head as Omicron, leading the two older men came out, the red Toa stepped back and was gone from sight in the darkness of the night but still there.

Omicron put her plats down a flat rock and dashed back in calling to the men that she'd get the rest. Sinead watched Omie run back into the kitchen.

"You're unusually wired. As in worse than usual." She looked out the window, carefully looking for Tahu's form among the shadows, seeing him after a moment. "Tell them I'll be preparing dessert. I have to ask Tahu something."

"Of COURSE I'm worse the usual." the younger woman shook her head, "I'll cover you but go through the front door so they don't see you. Hey do you think Lewa is hungry too?"

Sinead held her hands out, walking backwards, grinning. "Well, it could be for another reason altogether, and do you think I'm stupid? That's always the plan!" Sinead turned the right way around, saying over her shoulder. "And ask him. I'm not sure that he's left the building yet."

Lewa hadn't. He looked at the green thing in the tank, decided not to touch it, and turned, seeing a shelf of things ... with one that looked like him. He picked it up, handling it gently. "What in GreatSpirit is this?"

Omicron grabbed her and Sinead's plates and dropped them out side. With the excuse of needing to go to the bathroom _badly_ she left the two men to start dinner. Grabbing yet one more plate and loading it with food Omicron ducked to the right, down the hall and into her room, "You here? Oh you are! I got some food for…oh boy." She trailed off as she saw Lewa, his Bionicle toy in hand.

Lewa looked up at Omicron, surprised. "What be this?"

The woman chocked on her words, blushed then sighed, "This is going to take a lot of explaining..." she walked over and dug around the mess that was her bed and came back with a potable DVD player and DVDs. Omicron attentively tugged on Lewa's arm, "Come on I think we need to talk with Sinead and...TAHU!"

The last part came out as a yelp and she was pulling her curtains aside, staring out the window. She wasn't even aware that Lewa was leaning over here again as she watched Sinead walk into the fire light with Tahu.

Scott just stared for a moment, then pulled his hat off and rubbed at his forehead. "You know that this is gonna take an explanation."

"I'm skipping work," Outtsyder said quietly.

Sinead chuckled, and sat beside Outty, grabbing something from his plate and popping into her mouth. "Guys, this is Toa Tahu, though I'm sure that you both know of him. Toa, this is Scott McNeil and Outtsyder."

They all herd a yelp from inside and some one else talking rather fast, Tahu looked over at the house wondering if Lewa scared Omicron again. Truth was she has a spazz and the Air Toa had stopped her from racing outside.

Tahu looked back at the human males and nodded in greeting

They nodded in return. Sinead sighed, chuckling, hearing the scuffle inside. "Omie's about to go supernova on us. I think that she got startled that Tahu wished to get the meeting over with."

Tahu was about to say something when the back door opened and the other two came out. Omicron hace put on a large black sweeter with a the word 'VOLUNTEER' on the back. She glared at Tahu, "Don't DO that to me! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Sinead was laughing. Lewa was carrying the dessert out behind Omie, smiling, his voice laughing. "Toabrother! Muchtrouble you could have caused!"

Tahu snorted, shrugged and sat cross legged so he was at the same level the humans were, "Lets get this over with."

Scott took another mouthful. "I'll say."

Sinead chuckled, taking a sip. "All right. Where do you want us to start?"

What fallowed was a lengthy explanation of what they're two worlds were to each other. Surprisingly Omicron was the one who got in depth about the dimensional theories, both the common ones as well as her own. At one point Tahu, who ignored Sinead's warning, had made the great, ultimate mistake of demanding how Omicron thought she knew about all this. A half an hour latter every one there knew better to ask that again after that lecture on the properties of both the orderly and chaotic ways of dimensional energies.

Sinead was about on the ground, laughing. Or she would have been, had Outty somehow managed to get her sitting upon his lap. She didn't remember how, all she knew was that if he tickled her one more time . . .

"So you deepknow us?" Lewa asked. "From firstbeginning?"

"More like know OF you and you're advancers, but not really know you," Omicron tilted her head back to look up at Lewa up side down, she was sitting beside him and across from Tahu and Scott. She took a bite of ice cream, no one had knew where or even how she'd gotten it.

Scott blinked. "Woah, what? Hey, how'd you get that! Where's the ice cream!"

Outty perked up. "Hey, I want some too!"

Sinead shivered. "No, thanks."

"I'm not called the Ice Queen for nothing" she grinned and tossed another small container of the clod stuff to Scott, "Sorry Outty, I only had three and Lewa stole the other..."

Tahu tilted his head, "You say you have...'movies' of us?";

Omicron nodded and sank her teeth into another cold bite, then she blinked and looked back up at Lewa, "What was the last big thing...unmm...the last

scarrybad trouble the Makuta did?"

"Treespeak already, eh?"

Outty pouted for a moment, and poked Sinead's side, causing her to yip loudly, propelling herself onto the other side of the fire, tripping to land upon Tahu. Not bothering to right herself, she yelled, "You jerk! That wasn't fair!"

"It was too!" Outty replied, laughing.

Tahu blinked at the woman in his lap, then shook his hand and easy righted her with one hand so she was sitting beside him as Lewa answered. Sinead nodded to Tahu in thanks.

"Bohrok badattack, and Lewa and his Toasiblings defeated them." He looked at them. "Why did IceQueen ask?"

"Well..." Omicron scratched her neck, "You shouldn't watch the movies then. They take place latter in the time line, and if you see 'em then your world might get really messed up when you get back. I'd hate to be responsible for that..."

Lewa blinked a few times, then nodded. "Muchsense that makes." He cocked his head to one side, then jumped into the underbrush, laughingly tackling and carrying back two small forms, setting them between himself and Tahu around the fire. "Firespitters always end up homereturning to their ToaSpirit and their heartelement."

"..." Omicron blinked at the two for beside her as, "Uh...hi?"

Sinead chuckled. "The Chronicler and the Captain of the Guard, are you? Takua and Jaller."

"Pie?" The queen asked after a moment as Tahu made sure his charges were safe.

The two Ta-matoren looked at Omicron, chorusing, "Please!"

Sinead laughed. "Same here, please. It's apple, right?"

"Yeah, I think." Omicron nodded and when to retrieve said pie.

Sinead laughed, and rested her hand upon the blue-masked firespitter. "So what stories have you?"

"To many." Tahu said.

Omicron giggled and looked over at Scott, wondering what he was making of all this

Sinead laughed, hearing the other two men laughing with her. "Aww, c'mon, he can't be that bad, Toa, can he?"

"Yes." Tahu and Jaller said on the same breath.

The Chronicler grinned, piping up. "But-"

"Pie?" Omicron intercepted, leaning over the two matoran with a slice of pie on the plaits she was holding in front of them.

Takua instantly grabbed it, chowing down. "What is this?"

Sinead ate her pie.

Jaller elbowed his friend to slow down and be polite and after he himself tried it he blinked, "It's fruit, isn't it?."

Sinead nodded. "I think you got blueberry."

"Yeah." the young woman nodded and severed every one else buy didn't get her self any. She lave Lewa and Tahu the last biggest peaces.

Lewa took his plate, and carefully took a bite, then devoured it. "Muchgood! Where findthis?"

"I made it, Sinead made the apple," the young women said modestly.

"It's good," Tahu added his pie disappearing as fast as Lewa's.

Scott rubbed at his forehead, his pie gone as well. He honestly was enjoying himself, and he wanted to know how these guys were here ... even then, they didn't know about how they were here. He grinned, ready for trouble, and flicked a pebble at Omicron.

With a reflex born of dodging kids and work and home as well as living with Sinead the blond ducked the small blur that was the pebble. She looked up at Scott, "Oh, don't start some thing you wont live through. I work with kids all day." she grind.

Sinead laughed. "Same here. Most of them end up somehow on me, asleep on me ... I don't dodge them so much as attract them."

Omicron picked up a twig and waved it at all; "At lest you don't have to work on the main floor with three programs going on at the same time and NONE of them can find the right props! I work at the Aquarium," she added in explanation.

Scott looked snubbed for a moment at the fact she had dodged the pebble, then flicked one at Sinead who caught it and tossed it at Outty, who had completely zoned out, beaming him. He glared at her in play, and Sinead laughed.

"I work at a daycare center, usually with the two-and-under."

"All ages." Omicron waved her hand.

Jaller tilted his head, "I have to put up with him." he pointed at his best friend.

Scott shook his head. "Wow."

Takua pushed Jaller slightly. "That wasn't fair!"

Lewa blinked. "Both of you Toakind reatures ... have lifedawn of your own?"

Sinead just stared at him, then looked at Omie. "Translate?"

Omicron turned red, "No! No, no, no, I got my sisters kids and those at work. I'm NOT having them myself please and thank you!" the woman hid her blush in her hands.

Still lost, Sinead looked at Scott, who shrugged helplessly. She looked at Omicron. "Ooo-miiieeee ... can you tell me what he said?"

Takua looked at Sinead. "Toa Lewa was asking about your own ... little ones."

Sinead blinked. "Oh. I don't have any, but I'm hoping to have kids someday."

"I'm not having them!" omicron said, "All the guys I might get with are taken or gay..." she sighed, "And I like working with them more."

Sinead laughed heartily. "Same here, but I'm still looking. I don't like giving up. But anyways, Takua, thank you for clarifying that." She looked at Lewa. "I'm sorry I didn't understand."

"Aah, Treespeak is longlearning for those who do not thinkspeak as we do," Lewa replied, chuckling.

"Yay me." Omicron sighed as Sinead and Outty both pointed and grind at her. "You're just jealous that I can speak and write it and you can't." she added meaning the Bionicle fan fics she wrote with Treespeek in them.

"Oh, phooey. You beta all my fics and help me with that. I can write it almost as good as you can," Sinead shot back, grinning.

"So speak something!" Scott said.

She paused, forming the sentence in her head. "Strangepeople as we knownot manywords as the quickthinkin' airflyin' Toa Lewa."

She grinned at said Toa, who smiled and replied, "But quicklearn you have for such a strangecreature."

Takua, ready to learn more stories, turned to look at Omicron. "Hey, so what's this ... this aqua-thing that you were talking about?"

"Aquarium," the queen corrected him, "I work there as a teacher, like almost every one else there. We, at the Aquarium, try to teach the guests about sea and all the marine life that lives in it."

Takua grinned. "Toa Gali would love that place! Hey, hey, Toa Tahu, can we bring her there if we're able to find her?"

"Probably more likely when she finds you," Scott said through a chuckle between bites of pie.

"Here here!" Omicron laughed Tahu smiled and Jaller asked for more pie

Takua pressed in. "Can we, Toa Tahu?"

"Maybe." the fire Toa said

Sinead grinned to Outty, and leaned closer to the Toa. "Just a maybe? You don't like water much, do you?"

"Yesss..." Omicron said, "OW!" she yelped as Tahu tossed a small rock at her.

Outty pitched in. "And why? I mean, seriously, now, what's with the whole grudging way that you answered?"

"Well, I love water," Sinead piped up, grinning. "Especially since it's summer, and tomorrow it's gonna be hot, and there's a lake just on the other side of this stand of trees." She grinned. "So if you'd like swimming lessons, Tahu, it can be arranged."

Scott tactfully hid a smile, glad that he had come here straight from the convention. It was going to ba a good place to rest for a day or two. Little did he know that it was going to be anything BUT restful…

"No thank you." Tahu said stiffly.

"I'm a swimmer then Sinead." Omicron muttered feeling put out some.

"Hey, I was practically born in the water

"Hey, I was practically born in the water. Grew up swimming, was on a swimteam in Middle School, and the sea?" She sighed in bliss. "The sea ..."

Takua blinked at her. "I ... I'm not that fond of water, but ... what can you teach me?"

"Anything ..." Sinead replied, still dreaming about returning to the Oceanside at some point.

"I can teach you how to swim if you want since Sinead is off in La-La Land." Omicron smiled.

Sinead didn't even respond as she stared into the fire, remembering when she lived not even a ten-minutes' drive from the sea. Scott smiled, and said, "What else do you have around here?"

Takua grinned. "Sure!"

"We have to wait tell tomorrow, to dark now." Omicron said and couldn't resist rubbing the chronicler's masked head when he pouted. To Scott she added, "We have a wild life park not to far from here, great hiking trails. And I know of some natural hot springs up the mountain. But it's an off roaring trip."

Sinead came back to the present. "Hot springs! Water AND fire! Sweet! When do we go?"

Every one looked at her.

She blinked, then stood, throwing her hands up. "Fine, fine, glare at the crazy gal. I just want to know when we're going."

Omicron cackled, sounding like a Decepticon and getting looks her self from the others like 'I want to so that...' to 'what did we get ourselves into' and 'wow I didn't know she could do that...'

Sinead tossed a cup of water at the girl, grinning, "Stop that, you're scaring the guests."

"Good!" Omicron ducked the cup and bounced to her feet full of ice cream induced energy, "I am the Queen of ALL Ice ad Ice Cream! Fear my... my... Uhh... Icy-ness!"

Laughing, Sinead got her full in the face with a second cup of water. "You couldn't make a night-terror-ridden three-year-old afraid of you."

"Duh, comes with being dragon at heart." she said plopping back down between Lewa and Takua pulling her over shirt off and in good humor used it to dry her self off as the others talked about what to do in the morning.

Sinead was back in the kitchen, and called out, "Who wants tea?"

Lewa blinked up. "Whatbe this ... tea?"

"Tea leaves steeped in water," Sinead replied.

"Dried leaves and stuff crushed up in a lil' baggy," Omicron said at the same time.

"Tis good!" both women said on the same breath

Omicron looked up, hair a mess, "Can I have Market Spice please?" she called.

Outty grinned. "Me! Any kind you got! With LOTS of sugar, sugah-gal!"

Sinead blinked at him. "No more Westerns for you, boyo. Just no more." She nodded to Omie, and looked to Scott. "Any preference? We have Market Spice, the regular tea, Green tea, Earl Grey, Decaf, Irish and British breakfasts..."

"Chai..." the younger woman added.


	2. WHERE are we! ?

Omicron took a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it out slowly. Why did she call him again? Oh that's right, she said she would. The young woman shifted in her seat and looked around the empty living room and listened intently. Trying to hear if any one else was a wake. Once she was sure every one was still in their given rooms: Tahu, Scott and Outty in the gust rooms, the Matoran and Lewa in her room she gave it up saying she'd sleep on the hammock.

The queen carefully crept out side with more stealth then any one give her credit for. She snagged a sweeter on the way out as well as her walking sick/staff and made her way to the lake, not wishing any one to see her if she lost control. Sinead saw her brake down once and the young woman didn't want her or any one else to see the 'all ways cheerful' Omicron lost it again.

Omicron eyed the path before darting down it to the dock ware she stopped at the end and stood watching the moon light on the water. She looked down and her lose hair covered her eyes. After a minute she took in a shaking breath and sat down, knees drawn up and arms wrapping around them. Why did she call if she knew what was going to happen!

Always a light sleeper, he immediately awoke when he heard Omie walking past the door. The back door closed softly after her, and he looked out the back window to see Omicron going out towards the lake. Just as he was about to follow her, Sinead was before him, holding her hands out.

"Outty, not now."

"But she's ..."

"I know. Let her be for a while." She looked out the window, eyes sad, and whispered even more softly, "Besides, someone's already following her."

The Toa stepped upon the wood, wincing as his footfall clunked hollowly. But she didn't turn around. Moving to sit beside her, Lewa pulled her to his side, glad that his body temperature was warmer than some of the other Toa's. "Sweetbright, what be badbothering you?"

"Nothin', ya don't have to worry 'bout it." the young woman muttered into her arms.

"Not true," he replied softly. "Worried I was, when you quietsneaked out of the house."

Omicron sniffed, and was silent for some time. Just when Lewa was about to say something she stiffened, sadness turning into anger as she lifted and slammed closed fists on her knees, "NO farther should act like that!" she cried looking up for the first time, her hair still hiding part of her face, but not the tear lines.

Lewa blinked slowly, and then brushed the hair from her face, carefully wiping the tears from cheeks. "Not all fathers are meant to be fathers." He smiled cautiously, gently summoning a breath of warm air to help dry her tears. "But a goodkind father I saw in that Scott-creature."

A smile tugged at her lips, "Maybe, but I got a dad, my step dad. Its just…some times my blood da is so…!" Omicron shook her head and sighed slouching.

Lewa smiled back, softly, and then rested one foot over the pier to touch the water. "Not what a real father should be?"

"No..." Omicron shrugged, "But, I still love him...and it hurts..."

"Deepfeelings run like that." He wiped another tear away. "Sadfeelings they be, but learnwise we do from them."

"Point, but it still hurts."

"Aah, true." He sat silent for a while, then hummed, not knowing that he did so, his voice lilting and lifting from time to time, all with a soft melody. Omicron shifted so her back was to Lewa's side. She took a deep breath and forced her self to relax as she listened to the Toa, always one to enjoy any kind of music.

Stopping almost suddenly, he looked down at her. "Care to taste airflyin'?"

"Adha-huh what?" Omicron blinked and looked up eyes wide.

"Airflyin'! Spiritliftin' to any who feel coldsad!" Lewa said, smiling widely now.

"I don't know.." well it sounded fun. It was late she really shouldn't...but it sounded fun...

Lewa stood, helping her up. "Come, sweetsister, it won't be that bad! Neverdropped a passenger!"

_When did he start calling me a sister?_ "Okay...?"

Lewa picked her up, cradling her gently in his arms, activating his Mask of Levitation before commanding the air to bring them higher, not trying any fancy tricks.

"Eek!" never the less Omicron glomped him.

Lewa smiled at her reaction. "You have heightfear?"

"No, just warn me next time!"

Lewa chuckled, nodding. "Heartpromise. Now. Where to?"

Sinead watched the figure above the tree line, a smile on her face. Lewa was just the kind of guy who would have the tenacity to get right against her soul, comforting her.

The next morning came as every morning dose. Jaller was the first one up, at dawn as well as Tahu then Takua fallowed by Lewa. The humans got up after that, Sinead first fallowed by the men. Omicron was last, like she always was except for workdays. Sinead almost had to chase the others away from the younger woman with a stick. After all, she knew that Omicron wasn't a morning person any witch way and was known to hurt the fool who tried to wake her before 7:30 am. Thus she was left alone in her hammock.

Chuckling, Sinead dragged Scott back to the table, having sent Outtsyder to get more foodstuffs. "Sit."

"But you don't understand! She's asleep! Totally open for pranks!"

"Do you WANT her to kill you?" Sinead asked quietly. "Because she will. I'm not a morning person by nature, but she's ... she's the devil in the mornings."

"So no shaving cream pranks?"

"No. No shaving cream pranks."

It was 8:30 by the time Omicron fell out of her bed. After the fallowing thud and yelp the young queen dragger her self to the bathroom to do her business and try to make herself look something like a human again. Omicron stretched as she wondered into the kitchen some time later. Hair loss and still wet she went on a mission to fine her caffeine fix of the morning. Once the chai tea was found she kidnapped what little for the mike was left and ran for her life when she saw Sinead walk into the room.

Grinning, Sinead said, "You owe me for saving your butt earlier this morning."

"Marphet!" Omicron knocked back the rest of her chai mixture and dashed out to her jeep, "I'm going to go shoping!"

The red-haired author yelled after her, "He was gonna shaving-cream your hand, then drag a feather over your face! Are you listening?"

The woman would have said something back had a small blue masked figure not popped up in front of her. Yelping Omicron skidded then threw her slef into the nearest doorway to avoid running over the Ta-Matoran.

Snorting, Sinead turned back to making one more breakfast plate. "Your food, oh Dragoness, is scrambled eggs, toast, and sausage. Don't forget your promise to teach the Ta-Matoran how to swim."

"I won't let her!" Takua called as he helped Omicron up.

Omicron sighed as she let Takua drag her back into the kitchen, "Okay, okay I'll teach you but I got to eat first. Oh Sinead. I'll go shopping later."

"'Kua, let her eat first," Sinead said absently, setting the plate on the table. "And go tell Toa Tahu that if he wants, he can start another fire where the bonfire was last night. I'm gonna roast lunch out there."

The younger woman wolfed down her food, played semi tour guide to Outtsyder and Scott over a map about all the cool things to check out in this part of town and offered to somehow dive every one up to the hot springs she knew of. Then Takua and Jaller kidnapped her and all three tromped down to the lake (after Omicron changed into her...'colorful' swim suit).

Sinead stood at the counter through that whole bustling affair with a cup a tea, sipping it. Once Omie left, however, she said, "So you have a bunch of ideas lined up?"

"Yeah," they replied, poring over the maps again.

Sinead laughed. "Just tell us where you need to go and when, and we'll help you out. I have to go make sure she doesn't drown the Ta-matoren."

Sinead found the three at the dock, Omicron and Takua were in the water. The latter was clinging to the formers shoulders as she swam around, then under the dock. Jaller was following them from the safety that was on top of said dock. Tahu was there as well, watching the three like a hawk, for some reason he was in full protective mode and was thus watching over them.

Sinead shed her t-shirt at the beginning of the pier, smiling up at Tahu as she passed him, then broke into a full run to dive off of the end of the pier, swimming a good fifty yards out, then back in, enjoying the freedom of movement in the water.

Tahu shrugged to himself, he really didn't understand why the two Toa like humans loved the water so much... it was just water after all. Hmm... Maybe Gail would get along with them.

Sinead reached her arms up. "Jaller! Come on, I'll catch you!"

Jaller eyed her for a minute, debating. He yelped as Takua, who had climbed back on the dock, tried to push the Ta-Koro Captain at Sinead, "Heeey!"

"Come on Jaller! It's fun!" The chronicler said jumping back in and doggy paddling a few feet to Omicron back, to witch he glomped, "Omie? Can we dive again?"

"Sure! Hold on!"

Smiling, Sinead moved a bit closer. "I promise, firespitter, I won't drop you."

Hesitantly, Jaller inched closer, then closed his eyes and jumped right into Sinead's arms, hearing her proud laughter. "Good job! Now, hold onto my back, and I'm gonna tow you around a little, so you're used to the feeling of water moving, all right?"

"Ye-yeah."

Omicron swam under them, Takua freed one hand to wave. Then both were going under the dock again.

Sinead chuckled, and swam backwards, pulling Jaller along. "Kick your legs behind you."

Lewa walked up to beside Tahu, smiling. "Bravesouls, your firespitters."

Tahu nodded, "Or foolish." he said optics fallowing Omicron as she made her way to deeper water, then letting Takua do the kicking.

"How so, firebrother?" Lewa asked, head tipping to one side curiously. "They be quicklearning new skills."

Tahu grumbled something about never liking water.

Lewa didn't reply, knowing his fire-tempered brother would not listen. So he watched as the morning passed into afternoon, with Sinead putting the finishing touches on an outfit she was making for something she called a "convention." Omicron was working on one of her own costumes. They said that the costumes were from a story that some other author had written, but that they were surprising her as dressing up as their characters.

Omicron was on a quest. She looked under the chairs, behind the fridge, through every cabinet and even raiding Sinead's room. Then getting kicked out of her roommate's room. After an hour of driving every one insane she fled to her Jeep, intent on taking a trip to Wall Mart for the scale like things she needed.

"I'M GOING OUT!" she bellowed back at the house, Outty and Scoot had left a few hours ago, saying something about seeing a collators toy store.

Sinead sighed, and bellowed back, "Hurry! And don't forget to pick up your pictures from the developing department!"

Tahu was watching her as she finished off her gauntlet-like gloves, the second-to-last part of her costume to be done. She looked up at him. "Something up?"

"What are you two doing?" he asks, eyeing what Sinead was making.

She smiled, and stood, moving a sheet from where it was protecting her costume as it was sitting on the manikin. "We're making costumes to surprise an author. This is what I'm going to be wearing. I just have to finish stitching this glove and then I have only to put the outer sole of the boot on."

Tahu looked over at the other costume that was Omicron's, "What is that?" the fire Toa poked it as if thinking it might pop up and bight him. It looked like it would... "Are those teeth!"

Sinead looked up from her stitching, laughing. "Yep." She bent over again and clipped the thread, done with the glove and setting it aside. Before picking up the other glove, she picked the boot up, starting immediately upon the sole. "Her online personality is known as a dragon."

"A what? Is that some kind of Rahi?"

Grinning, she pointed to a poster on her sewing-room wall. "See that thing the man with the sword is standing over? That's a dragon. They're mythical creatures, and there's a lotta different types."

She thought for a sec. "So ... I guess that it's almost like a Rahi."

"It looks like it's going to eat the man." Tahu commented looking at the poster.

Sinead laughed, carefully working with the leather-needle. "Naah. Not likely."

Omicron kicked the door of her Jeep when it didn't shut all the way at first. Sighing she fumbled with her keys and said door tell it was looked at the same time balancing two arm loads of plastic bags. Hauling everything into the house then to the kitchen she put away the food. After that she turned on her heel, intending to bring the scale-like pieces to the 'work room.' But she ran head long into a large green bulk.

Yelping Omicron fell back and would have cracked her head again on the table behind her had the said green bulk that was Lewa not grabbed her arm, keeping the young queen up right.

"What speedrushin'!" Lewa said in a laughter-filled voice. "Quietcalm! No need for accidents!"

"Oh my god," The woman gasped thumping her chest in an attempt to get her heart to start again, "Please don't do that again. Primus I think I lost another year to my life..."

"Omie!" Sinead yelled, running out and hugging the queen enthusiastically. She then jumped out into the middle of the room. "Look! I finished it!"

Omicron blinked, "Really? Cool!"

Lewa whispered into Omicron's ear, "Humblest apologies. I am sorryashamed that I startled you."

Sinead turned around, showing off the angles of the costume, grinning. Leather was hard to work with, and this was her first time using it. "I can't wait to get the pictures of this up online!"

"You'll look better then I will." The younger woman shrugged then turned, jumping up she hugged a surprised Lewa, "Tis' all good!" she smiled as he hugged back. As she slid back down to the ground something glinted at the edges of her vision. That caught her attention. Always on the alert for something shiny, preferably some kind of crystal, she investigated.

Ignoring the fact that the Matoran and Tahu had wondered into the kitten to see what was going on. As Sinead showed off her new outfit to the others Omicron walked up to the window, intending on fining where the glint had come from so she could—

The young Queen's vision and mind where filled with a flare of light then the world came crashing down into darkness.

* * *

Gali smiled down at the Matoran around her legs. All young, all wanting to learn about her and her view of how she came to Mata-Nui. They were all asking her one question after another, leaving her hardly a space to answer in. The Turaga stepped in, laughingly shooing the young ones off. Just as she opened her mouth, an almost far off "splash" met their ears. Both looked out to the sea, seeing a red dot bobbing.

Tahu cursed to himself as he trying to keep both his own heavy body and the unconscious human above the surface. Seeing a streak of blue he thanked the Great Spirit, "Gail! Over here!"

Gali adjusted her trajectory slightly then reached Tahu, helping him keep the girl above water she asked, "What happened? How are you out this far . . . what _is_ this one?"

"Long story sister," Tahu said grateful of the blue Toa's help, "But it is not a tale for now. We should get OUT of the water."

The blue Toa nodded and helped her fire brother and his passenger back to the beach. Setting the still shivering human on the ground Tahu rubbed his hands up and down her arms, legs, torso and the arms again; both heating her back up and drying her off some.

Gali watched him. That was unlike his character, but he was also a protector ... apparently, this person? Well, whatever she was, she seemed to be under his protection. "Tahu? Please, can you explain a little while we are waiting for her to awaken?"

"Sister Gail, this is a friend. I was in her world for a few days, Sinead and her sister gave us sanctuary." Tahu said, "I thought Mata Nui sent us there, Lewa and I and two Matoran. Now the Great Spirit has brought us and her back…" The fire Toa straiten looking around, "Where is Lewa? The Chronicler and Jaller? Gail, we mush talk with the others, perhaps the Turaga would have some knowledge of this."

Gali nodded, just as Sinead winced a little, turning upon her side with a groan. "Ugh ... what hit me?"

"Water." Tahu grumbled, lifting the human into his arms, "Sister Gail, if you could lead the way to Ga-Koro? We need to speak to Turaga Nokama."

Gali stood, nodding. "Follow me, ple- Turaga!"

Nokama reached up towards the human, causing Tahu to lean forward. "Little youngling ... come, Toa Tahu. Let us keep her warm. My good friend Turaga Vakama is visiting Ga-Koro, and he will help us learn."

"Yes Turaga." The two Toa said on the same breath. Tahu shifted the still dazed Sinead and fallowed the two water maidens wondering where the elder had come from. The heat radiating off the Fire Toa keeping the human more then warm.

Once they had joined Turaga Vakama, Sinead was almost completely awake. Her head still felt woozy, but she made sure that she didn't shift around too much in Tahu's arms. She was warm ... correction, he was warm, and thus warming her.

Turaga Nokama's eyes smiled upon seeing the alert girl, and she motioned for Tahu to sit with them. Gali sat cross-legged, nodding to Vakama. "Turaga Nokama, you seemed to know of what this youngling is."

Sinead's eyes darted to Gali, and she shivered a little, involuntarily, still a little chilled from the seawater.

"Yes Turaga, how?" Tahu asked as well, ducking into Nokama hut. He sat the human down beside Gail and sat himself down beside them. The fire Toa looked over to Nokama questionably.

"You have never told us of these stories Turaga." Tahu frowned

"No Toa Tahu." Vakama's old voice spoke up and the elder to Ta-Koro made his way over to Sinead, "How are you feeling child?"

She rubbed at her head a little. "Like something three times my size used me for a soccer ball."

Gali blinked. "A ... what?"

"Soccer. It's a game where two teams of about six players each are trying to kick this one ball into the other team's goal. One goal-keeper, two defense, three offense." She rubbed at her head. "I feel like I've been through three games."

"Hmm." Vakama nodded, "Like Koli." he added when he saw Tahu confused look. "Nokama? I think the child needs some tea. I'll make some, if you would continue to explain. I must admit even though we both..." the Turaga tailed off as if not wanting to say too much.

Nokama nodded. "That will have to be told as well, Vakama. Regretfully."

"Ah but not this night sister."

Tahu looked to Gail razing an eye ridge.

Gali shrugged just barely, then looked to the girl. "Please forgive me, but I haven't had the chance to ask you your name yet."

"Oh. It's Sinead." She nodded. "And I know that you are Toa Gali."

Gali nodded in happy surprise. "Tahu, you said that you were with her and her sister?"

Tahu nodded, "Yes Gail. Though I do not know if she is here or not." The Toa's brows furrowed in thought, "We should search for Lewa, and the two Ta-Matoran."

Gali nodded consent. "I agree. That is the right path to take, of course. However, I'd suggest that we allow our young friend here to recuperate. She looks like she could use a warm soak."

"Yes!" Sinead said, the last of her discombobulating gone.

Tahu inclined his head and moved when the Turaga of the water village came to look Sinead over. The fire Toa glanced out of a window, wondering what happened to his air brother and the other human.

Turaga Nokama smiled. "Come, youngling. Follow me, and I'll get you somewhere where you can bring your mind back to its usual state."

Once she left, Gali looked to Tahu. "You need rest as well, brother. Please, stay until you are fit to travel again."

"I am fine sister." Tahu said, chest 'puffing up.' He then filched as Vakama whacked him over his head with his badge of office, the Staff of Fire. "Arg!" Tahu rubbed his head and glared at the unfazed Turaga.

"You shall rest Toa Tahu." Amber orbs narrowed slightly, "I will send word to the other Turaga and the Toa to look for Lewa and the Matoran, as well as the possibility of another human. Watch over you're brother Gail, you know how Tahu is." with that the elder hobbled out of the hut, calling to some young Ga-Matoran to be messengers.

"How…does he do that?" Tahu wondered out loud.

Gali tactfully hid a smile. "Brother, come. You may not enjoy the hot springs' water, however, the heat there should be to your liking.

Gali nodded consent. "I agree. That is the right path to take, of course. However, I'd suggest that we allow our young friend here to recuperate. She looks like she could use a warm soak."

"Yes!" Sinead said, the last of her discombobulation gone.

Tahu inclined his head and moved when the Turaga of the water village came to look Sinead over. The fire Toa glanced out of a window, wondering what happened to his brother and the other human.

* * *

"I kn-now I'm called da' 'I-Ice Queen'" Omicron shivered as another gust of frigged wind rolled over her and the surrounding snow banks. "B-but I'm wishing I wasss the queen of M-Malibu..."

It was a nice day, no doubt about that. The sun was shinning bright, the sky a rich clear blue and hardly any clouds. The only thing the young queen didn't like was that she was alone, in the middle of nowhere on some mountain full of snow and ice. Another gust of wind swept some lose snow up the back of her shirt.

"GAH!" Omicron yelped bouncing around to dislodge the white powder. And she only had on cut off jeans and a T-shirt with a swimsuit under...

"I'm sooo dead." the young woman muttered stapping her feet and kept onmarching, trying to stay warm as posible.

White hands picked her up before she could take another step. Kopaka had warmed his body temperature up as high as it could safely go, feeling it radiate out around the "human," as Turaga Nuju had called her kind. He held her closer to his chest.

"Try not to move too much. I'll get you to somewhere warmer in just a moment."

"ACK!" was the muffled yelp, but the near frozen 'ice queen' couldn't move too much. Never the less, she did squirm...not knowing who or what had her.

"Don't move, I said." He looked down into her face, calming the winds. "I am called Toa Kopaka."

"...holy slag." Omicron blinked no longer moving as she blinked back at the sugar white Toa.

He nodded once, moving towards Ko-Koro, keeping sure to redirect the winds around them so their biting cold wouldn't touch his precious cargo. Once within the gates, the Matoran pressed blankets in and around the human, crowding her to share their body-heat, speaking quietly to each other. Kopaka didn't release his hold upon her.

"I'm not a Popsicle." The young woman said in some protest as a few to many got into her personal space.

"No, but you're too cold. They fear for your safety. You don't take to the cold as we do," Kopaka replied, still holding her close. "Once you're warm, I'm bringing you to Le-Koro."

Omicron twitched and huffed softly. Didn't this guy know she was called the Queen of Ice for a reason! Oh sure she did have limits, but still! Oh yes she could under stand their concern but if this kept up she was going to run out of air...

He let up slightly upon his hold, the motion sending the curious Matoran back a step.

"Many thanks..."

"You still feel too cold."

"I'm called the 'IceQueen' for a reason." she said dead pan, then added quickly, "But thank you very much."

"I do not trust your judgment on this," Turaga Nuju said, walking over to rest his hand upon her forehead. "You should rest a little before your journey to Le-Koro."

"That sounds like a good idea." Omicron agreed slowly.

"Good." Kopaka stood from where he had been crouching with her, bringing her blanked-enshrouded form to a slightly warmer room. "You're lucky. Two firespitters are here. They can keep you warmer than I can."

The door opened and two very familiar Ta-Matoran hugged Omicron within a second of seeing her.

"Takua? Jaller!" Omicron laughed, "Where did you two come from?"

Kopaka smiled a little then rested his hand upon the top of her head briefly. "If you need anything, my Matoran will accommodate you. Don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you Toa Kopaka." Omicron inclined her head some, letting Takua drag her to a cot.

He nodded, and left the room, but stood guard upon the other side, thinking. He was glad that he was able to find her on time. Any longer, and she'd be frozen, literally. To have that happen on his lands... was unacceptable.

Omicron shifted, and wincing, eased her self back down. Opening her eyes she lifted her head from her arm and blinked tell she could make out what was pinning her down. The woman blinked again.

_Aw...how cute._ She thought looking at Takua and Jaller, the former cuddled up on her side and the latter using her middle as a pillow.

Shifting slightly the human managed to roll on her right side some and used her left arm to keep the Ta-Koro Captain from falling over. A few minutes latter Omicron was drifting off again with Jaller now lying beside her and the young queen wrapped her left arm wrapped protectively around the Chronicler.

Kopaka entered silently, not feeling overheated in the warm room, as his Matoran were saying that even the air outside the door was too warm. His cool hand rested upon Omicron's head, and he leaned closer to the bed, careful not to awaken the Ta-Matoran.

Omicron shook her head some and growled, surprising Kopaka as she shifted and somehow got her blanket almost over her head and not move the to Ta-Matoran at the same time. She opened one eye looking start ahead at the Ice Toa's legs.

"Narph?"

He smiled, and rested a folded outfit upon the head of her bed. His voice was quiet. "I have warm coverings for you. Once you're ready to awaken, I'll be waiting for you and the Matoran outside the room."

"Merpgt..." was the not so coherent reply

He brushed his hand through her strange hair, smiling. Then went to stand upon the other side of the door.

"Neeeahhh...do I have ta get up?" Omicron yawned and poked Takua awake, "Hey, you. Up. If I got to, you do too."

The storyteller grumbled and rolled over, back into the warmth of her side. He wasn't moving. Rolling onto her back the queen stretched and yawned once more before sitting up right and letting the two friends fall onto one another. She smirked and looked around, spotting the garments she let herself fall out of bed. Standing Omicron pulled the pants on, wondering as she hopped around where they came from.

Looking back to the Matoran she saw that Jaller was wide a wake and getting ready him self, "Mornin'."

"Good morning Omicron." Jaller said with a small bow, witch the human returned. "Takua! Get up." he added prodding his best friend

"Nnn ... go'way. Warm."

Omicron sighed and muttered, "You're so lucking I like you."

Some add minutes later Omicron ducked outside and got a blast of cold air in the face, "Ow! That'll wake him up Jaller!"

The Ta-Koro Captain grinned as Takua, who was on Omicron's back, jerked awake. He struggled, fell, and whined, "Why's it so _cooold_!"

Kopaka blinked at him. "You're in Ko-Koro, Chronicler"

Omicron laughed her over jacket, witch wasn't closed yet, was flapping in the wind as she helped the Chronicler back to his feet and straiten his mask, "You okay?"

He shivered, glaring up at her. "You're mean. It's cold, I'm a firespitter, and you're plain mean."

"Thank you." She smiled, "Come on, I'll give ya a free back ride to pay for it."

He scrambled up onto her back, curling into the warmth there, while Kopaka closed Omicron's jacket. "Don't let yourself get cold. It's a trek to get to Le-Koro. I don't want you frozen before you get into a warmer climate." He grimaced slightly. "My siblings would blame my personality for freezing you."

"Temping..." Omicron said shifting so she was holding Takua with one arm; the other was used to undo the top of the jacket. At Kopaka's annoyed look she explained, "I'm human Kopaka. My body can make it's own heat with exercise. Even though we humans can't withstand too much cold it's a very bad idea to work up a sweat by being to warm in the cold. As soon as you stop ya got the threat of freezing anyway. Oh, good morning Turaga Nuju!"

Omicron waved with Takua.

Nuju chuckled. "I pity the moment she meets Turaga Matau with his Treespeak. She will have a long time trying to decipher his words."

"Maybe not wise one." She grinned.

He looked at her then smiled. "You've never heard Treespeak before, youngling."

"I quickfix all my 'firesister's' storywritings every time she needs a translate." Omicron said in a quick beat of rhythm.

Turaga Nuju stared for a moment. His eyes shot from her face up to Kopaka's, who was clearly in the same shock he was in. "You ... know Treespeak."

"Yessir." the human boosted Takua up a little more, "Long story, this isn't the beast place to tell it though."

Looking to his elder, Kopaka just kind of went into a dull shock from there.

"You have that affect on people don't you?" The two Ta-Matoran asked at the same time.

"Yep." Omicron nodded, "SO!" she chirped, "When we going and is there any food around?"

Kopaka just stood and left. He couldn't take much more of the shocks. Nuju blinked, then said to Omicron, "Yes. Please, this way."

"Many thanks Turaga Nuju."

He gave the impression of smiling, then replied, "There certainly is. Come, then, if you please. Firespitters, if you would come as well, we shall have a grand breakfast, I believe your people call it." He looked up at her. "Am I correct?"

"Yes sir." Omicron nodded, shifting Takua and hoped through the snow after the Turaga that seem to have no problem at all.

"Thank you Turaga." the queen ducked inside and waited for Jaller to fallow suit. "Okay off ya get." Omicron knelt letting Takua hope off her back and then she spotted the fruit. Fruit she never seen before. Well, this was a reversal of things...

Sliding to sit at the table, Takua smiled, sniffing appreciatively. "Mmmm."

"Is it safe?" Omicron poked what might pass as an overly large grape.

"Of course." Jaller nodded, and picking up some of the so-called 'grapes' handed them to the human, "here, these are very good."

"Thanks." the woman nibbled on one of the berries, "Mmm!"

"They're even better when made into a drink!" Takua replied, grinning and holding up a warm broth-like substance in a bowl to her. "Here. This is mainly made from vegetables and stuff like that, but it tastes really good."

Omicron tried the offered broth she smiled but inwardly gagged.

Takua blinked at her. "Is something wrong? You don't look all right."

"I'm fine," Omicron said carefully and snagged some juice.

He blinked, then slugged down a small bowl of the broth. "Okay, so I guess that it's not a favorite ... is there anything from here that looks good to you?"

"Mmmmhmm." Omicron nodded as she sat cross-legged sipping the juice and picked up what she thought was her favorite, an Asian pear, but found it to be both sweet and bitter at the same time.

Takua looked at Jaller. "Heeeey. Why aren't'cha over here?"

Jaller held up a hand full of 'grapes,' "Be right back, I'm going to see witch way we're going to go to Le-Koro."

"Oh. Okay! Don't get lost!" Takua teased.

Jaller rolled his eyes and ducked out. Omicron snitched a few more pieces of fruit for later and eat some as well, "Looks like it's me and you." she said

Grinning, he winked at her. "Sure! Hey, you said that you know old folktales of your people, didn't you?" He blinked. "Or was that Sinead?"

"We both do, though I know more about the old First Nations stories then other ones because I took a few art and history classes on the subject." Omicron said relaxing some, "You're always on the look out for stories, aren't you Chronicler?" She added, smiling.

"Always! The more stories I'm able to collect and write down the more that people will know later on!" He grinned, then turned towards her fully. "Don't you have people like that where you're from?"

"In a way, yes. Historians, I think that's what there called." the young woman answered, "And then librarians, and normal authors of fictional and non fiction books."

He just looked at her. "You mean that there are stories out there that have no meaning, other than to be enjoyed as entertainment?"

"Yep. Some have lessons to teach." Omicron worked a kink out of her neck as she talked, "Most of the fictional writing are just for fun, like the stuff I write."

He brightened. "Tell me of what you're writing! Please!"

If this where anime the human would have sweet dropped, "Err...sure."

* * *

Sinead followed Gali, who was leading the way. Tahu was silently following them, making sure to watch out for any of the hazards one would encounter within the grounds surrounding Le-Koro. He listened vaguely as the human and his sister were interacting, talking about things that he found strange, but that Gali seemed to grasp at, holding the ideas tightly. She looked over her shoulder at Tahu. "We're at the meeting point, brother."

The Toa of Fire looked away from scarring off a small Rahi, "Good, Pohatu, Onwa and their Turaga are to meet us there as well." Tahu glanced at Nokama and Vakama quizzically. They were, after all the ones who sent word about the island.

Nokama looked up at Tahu. "Patience, little brother. Answers are forthcoming."

Vakama chuckled, tapping his firestick against her trident lightly. "You teach patience and yet you continue to berate us for when we enjoy moving on without information that you hold!"

"Vakama, you firespitter, you never listened to reason."

"Reason!" He laughed. "No, I listened to reason. But as for the patience to learn the reasons to reason with, mind you, was what you say has stopped me from learning patience!"

Tahu looked at Gail, the Turaga hid too much...the red Toa was about to say so when a brown and bronze blur flashed by. Tahu grinned and turned in time to see the blur zip back.

"Brother!"

"Haha, Pohatu!"

The two whacked their fists together and exchanged greetings with one another.

Gali chuckled and greeted Onewa, clanking her fist against his, and then turning to rest her hand upon Sinead's shoulder, smiling. The two got along exceptionally well, and yet Sinead and Tahu got along the same way, which seemed odd, but good. "Brother, I would like to introduce you to Sinead, a far-traveler."

Pohatu tilted his head, looking the shorter human over, "Nice to meet you firespitter. Onewa and the Turaga are a bio away, they'll be here soon."

"Firespitter?" Sinead asked, smiling. "Me? Really?"

"Well...you have a fire spirit..." Pohatu blinked didn't she know that? He looked to Gail and Tahu to see if they could sense it too. Tahu nodded, he had sensed that back in the human world.

Sinead looked from one to the other. "I reeally hate to say this, but I had always felt more easy with water than fire, Toa Tahu." She grinned a little. "Much as I am totally in love with burning things and blowing them up and all ... You've seen my bonfire..."

Tahu shrugged, "Your spirit is what it is. How far did you say Onewa was brother?" The two male two started talking for some time then. Most Pohatu chattered on and on but Tahu must have been in a good mode because he didn't stop him.

"Do not worry young one." Vakama patted Sinead's arm in a grandfatherly way, "We, the other Turaga and I that is, have found out that human have a mix of elemental energies. Though only one as a root spirit, witch tends to be strongest and easiest 'seen.'"

"Oh." Sinead blinked, then sat upon the ground so that she was looking up at the Turaga. "So I'm primarily a fire spirit? With water as a secondary?"

"Something like that." the old one nodded. "Yes."

"Wow. I couldn't have two more opposite things, huh?" she laughed, re-tying her hair up in a ponytail.

Turaga Nokama chuckled, patting her shoulder. "Opposites tend to sometimes work best together, I've noticed. Once you find a way to compromise."

"That would explain my explosive temper once I'm pushed to it," Sinead muttered.

Gali wisely hid her smile.

Tahu cocked is head, hearing some number of people coming this way. The red Toa glanced at Pohatu, silently asking. The big brown giant grinned and nodded, it was Onewa and the Turaga of Po-Koro and Onu-Koro.

Sinead stayed sitting, just enjoying being beside the Turaga Vakama and Nokama. They reminded her so much of grandparents, her two Irish ones, and to be around them brought her comfort she hadn't felt in years.

"Sister Gail." Pohatu called, waving, "Our dark earth brother and the Turaga are coming." He vanished in a blur of brown and bronze, then returned adding: "Turaga Matau is with them!"

"Turaga Matau?" Sinead asked, semi-shocked. She'd get to meet the infamously annoying yet sweet Matau? Glory of glories!

Nokama looked to Gali then Vakama. "Matau will be having a fine time trying to get our far-traveler to understand his tree-speak."

Vakama nodded, glade his mask didn't let his smile show.

Review(s)!

'Nead: ... pickles on icecream? Uhm, yeah, that'd qualify for strange, I guess! But then again, this is coming from someone who went to school where we plotted the demise of many a seagull over lunch. I hope you enjoy what we have gotten up so far, and I hope that you continue to read this little fic-child of ours ... strange tho' it be ... BEWARE THE RETURN OF THE SCOTT AND OF THE FLIRTATIOUS!

Icy: thank you! n.n Hmmm...pickles and cherries on vanilla ice cream? (blink) need to try that... and is this 'more chapter' enough? Yes, the two voice actors are coming back! (evil cackle)


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